Sabean: Bay and Holliday unlikely

Tim Lincecum’s live press conference just ended. Afterward, we talked to GM Brian Sabean, who said he has not contacted agents for the two big hitters on the free-agent market, Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, and does not expect to either.

I’ll have the direct quotes later, but Sabean essentially said he refuses to be a “stalking horse” for any player who is just using the Giants to get more money elsewhere, and that the Giants will talk only to free agents who have a genuine interest in coming to San Francisco.

He said he doubts Bay and Holliday will have genuine interest because the Yankees, Red Sox and other bigger-market teams will be chasing them.

At the same time, Sabean said, he believes there is a good crop of “second-tier” free agents to look at.